Headlines

Wild limit Jets to 16 shots for win

Minnesota scores two third-period goals

by
Jessi Pierce
/ NHL.com Correspondent

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Two third-period goals gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets at Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday.

Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin made it 2-0 13 seconds into a Minnesota power play at 11:13 of the third period. Jets forward Blake Wheeler made it 2-1 at 12:06 with a power-play goal, and Zach Parise scored into an empty net at 19:29.

"We did a really good job defensively, and offensively we had some chances, some rushes, some pipes," Parise said. "We were able to get a 3-1 win. We were able to get enough. It's kind of been the same story. Devan [Dubnyk] played really well. ... When he saw the puck he stopped it."

Dubnyk made 15 saves for Minnesota (10-7-2). Connor Hellebuyck made 23 for Winnipeg (9-11-2), which has lost four in a row.

"We did a good job," Dubnyk said. "That is a fast team that looks to get chances off the rush. They have a lot of guys that can put pucks in the net. I thought we did a great job. We countered. We countered when they turned the pucks over. We were great in our end all night. That is what we've been doing."

Mikko Koivu gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead at 19:01 of the second period. The goal was his first in his past 11 games, third of the season.

Wheeler deflected a Toby Enstrom shot at 9:46 of the third period to seemingly tie the game 1-1, but a coach's challenge by Minnesota determined Winnipeg was offside.

"I know he (Nikolaj Ehlers) was on his toe, so the stuff that I see at the side of the bench there, it was close," Maurice said. "I thought there was a chance because it was an allowed goal when it went in the net, and I thought that there might not be enough there, but I didn't see any more of the extra replays on it."

Goal of the game

Brodin deflected a pass from Mikael Granlund through traffic for his fifth NHL power-play goal.

"[Granlund] made a great play and I was just trying to shoot it and I hit the forward's stick there and it bounced in," Brodin said. "So, yeah, it was sweet. We got lucky there but it was good."

Highlight of the game

They said it

"Yeah, it's pretty frustrating. Goals have been tough to come by for our group the last little bit here. To get a big one, tie the game up, kind of swing the momentum in your favor; there's not much you can really say. It's frustrating." -- Jets forward Blake Wheeler on the goal that was overturned

"We have to get these divisional games (Central). We know at the end of the year how important they are. And to hang on in regulation is big. We have been so close this year. We feel like our record could be fantastic right now. We are that close. We have to start getting these good feelings in here and getting these wins and they'll start to pile up for us." -- Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk

"I don't want to talk to him because I just want him to keep doing what he's doing. Every time he touches the puck, you think he can beat a guy. He's a pretty special player." -- Wild coach Bruce Boudreau on Mikael Granlund

Need to know

Jets forward Drew Stafford returned after missing 15 games with an upper-body injury. He had two shots in 13:51. … Wild defenseman Marco Scandella had two shots and one blocked shot playing 12:20 in his first game back from an ankle injury. … Granlund had two assists. He has at least one point in nine of his past 14 games.